Celebrate President’s Day in Central Iowa

February 10, 2016

Happy Birthday Mr. President (s)! You can learn a little bit of Iowa and American history and celebrate the Presidency locally. In honor of President’s Day on February 15th, 2016 we put together this list of places with Presidential ties in Central Iowa.

The State Historical Museum of Iowa showcases our state’s accomplishments, contributions and heritage across our 99 counties. You can experience Iowa’s rich history through exhibits and artifacts. The Museum is currently featuring a First in the Nation exhibit which explores presidential candidates’ journeys through the Iowa caucuses on the road to the White House.

Stop by the information desk on the first floor for a map, children’s activities and information about exhibits, programs and historical research. The Museum is open 9:00 am to 4:30 pm; Monday through Saturday and Noon to 4:30 pm on Sunday. It is closed on official state holidays. Admission is FREE.

Set amid the lush, rolling hills of southeastern Iowa, the town of Mount Pleasant yields an unexpected Lincoln connection: the home of James Harlan, where Abraham Lincoln’s grandchildren spent many of their summers. Since 1959, the college has maintained the Harlan-Lincoln House as a museum. The museum includes artifacts belonging to the Harlan and Lincoln families: a fragment of the coat Abraham Lincoln was wearing when he was assassinated and Mary Todd Lincoln’s mourning veil.

To schedule a tour of the Harlan-Lincoln House, please call (319) 385-6215 or email alumni@iw.edu. It is recommended that you schedule your tour one week in advance. Donations of $5.00 per person are encouraged as they help to support the preservation of the Harlan-Lincoln House.

The Presidential Library and Museum is open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm daily (closed only on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Days). Children 5 & under are FREE; Children ages 6 to 15 $3.00; Age 16 to 61 $10.00; Age 62 and older- $5.00. It is FREE to visit the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site which includes the grounds around the Library, historical buildings and gravesite.

Mamie Geneva Doud was born November 14, 1896 at 718 Carroll Street in Boone, the second of four daughters born to Elivera Mathilde Carlson and John Sheldon Doud. She grew up to become the wife of the 34th president of the United States, Dwight David Eisenhower. The Boone County Historical Society has restored the home where she was born, which contains many Eisenhower and Carlson family heirlooms and includes a library and exhibits on its lower level.

The Museum is open during the summer season; June 1 to October 31; Monday through Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sundays 1:30 to 5:00 pm. During the winter season; November 1 to May 31; the Museum is open by appointment only.

Henry A. Wallace served as Depression-era U.S. Secretary of Agriculture for President Franklin D. Roosevelt from 1933-1940, implementing revolutionary farm policies and programs. As Vice President from 1940-1944, Wallace traveled widely. He became Secretary of Commerce until 1946, and then ran for president in 1948.

Inspired by the Wallace family legacy, The Wallace Centers of Iowa provides a variety of programs and services to build awareness of local food, sustainable agriculture, and civility. WCI serves both urban and rural communities with locations at the Henry A. Wallace Country Life Center in rural Orient and the Wallace House in Des Moines. The centers offer community building and educational programs, locally sourced dining opportunities and other events.

What are your Presidents’ Day plans? Tell us in the comments section below.

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